Took advantage of the Hobie discount at the San Antonio Boat Show and picked up my new TI last Friday. After looking, reading, waiting and trying to convince myself this was a need not a want for twelve months I couldn't be more thrilled, even after only one quick sail. The TI does everything I hoped and more. Will be launching from Port O'Conner or Port Aransas this weekend. Look forward to meeting other AI/TI and thanks to everyone who participates in these forums, they are a great source on information and inspiration to newbies.

When you have some time to sit and digest some of it, I'd recommend doing some reading from the archives of past Island forum posts. You'll pick up a lot of good stuff there that'll help you enjoy your new boat even more.

Welcome Coughton54! We have a number of AI/TI owners in Texas that get together on weekends to sail the Texas coast by posting on the forums at adventureislanders.com. That's how I met up with all of them and they showed me the ropes my first year. Learned a great deal about safety and fishing offshore.The best part was the weekly updates on who is meeting where. Stay safe by traveling in packs, especially offshore. Hope to meet you soon.

Hey Coughton54, the winds and wave height for both locations you picked for this weekend are pretty scary. 3-6 ft waves and 16-20 mph winds would make me consider an inland location. I was going to sail Palacios but have second thoughts.

Vetgam, I probably should have read your comment before my trip. I did sail out of Port O'Connor on Saturday, winds were 18 and waves 3 plus. Sailed for five hours straight, covered 23 miles and top speed 9.2 MPH. The smile never left me and still lingers, the TI was amazing total fun. On the safety side PFT always on, float plan filed with two people who care, two GPS's, VHF radio and cell phone, plus a fair bit of sailing knowledge ( but zero fishing!). I had my fishing rods with me but didn't even bait them, just sailing was such a blast.

You made it back alive- that's what matters. I carry a personal locator beacon on my PFD and consider it the most important thing I have on me when I sail offshore or alone. Coast Guard's goal is to get to you within. 2 hours and you can set it off with the flip of a switch. If my boat fliped, I might be separate from my phone/VHF or they may not be operable once wet.

I sailed inland Saturday snd got cought up in high wind that made it almost imposible to get back to the launch site- my first experience like that.

Stay safe. Post on adventureislanders.com when you plan on going out and us TX islanders will join you. I sail just for the sake of sailing too. NOHUHU right, I would have left the rods in the holders too!

Welcome to the forum! Glad to hear you're enjoying your new TI. When I got mine, I must have spent three weeks reading almost every post on this site. There's a lot to learn and absorb in the postings, but the folks here are VERY innovative, so it's well worth it.

By the way, I live in Houston. I don't do any fishing, but I enjoy the sailing. If you like, maybe we could hit the water some time.

Hey RC, let me know if you guys ever want to hit the water as a group as I live in Houston too. You work or have worked for the Coast Guard correct? Have you ever known anyone in a Hobie Island to need Coast Guard help off the Texas coast? Just wondering how comfortable you are with these being used offshore in the Gulf.

RC and Vetgam, thanks for the invitation. I am based out of Seguin; sailing out of Port O'Connor or Palacios is an easy 2 hour trip and Galveston is not out of question.I have been thinking about buying a TI for over twelve months and read most of the posts on this site; I agree, a great resource and everyone's contributions have helped me considerably.Let me know when you plan a trip, it would be great to join you.

Okay, I marked you both as "friends" in my User Control Panel. I've done some group TA/AI sailing at Canyon Lake, TX and it was a lot of fun spending the day with other TIs and AIs. Lake Livingston, TX is nice too, and practically devoid of any boats. Group outings are the best.

vetgam, I was in the Navy from 1990 - 1994 in a SAR helicopter squadron aboard aircraft carriers; mainly the USS John F Kennedy. I did the Gulf War and the Balkans Conflict. The rescues I was involved with were all far off shore and mainly involved downed militaray aircraft. It turned out that, in each incident, the aircrew were dead before the carrier air-wing was even aware that a plane had gone down... but we were dispatched nonetheless. So, we never saved any one while I was in the service. Such is aviation at sea. After the Navy, I worked my way through college as an ambulance driver.

As for Hobie AIs and TIs needing a resce, I'm not aware of anybody ever requesting one, but I have seen a uTube video of a TI rescuing two sailors in the Florida Everglades Challenge (2009? or 2010?).

Coughtn54, I've been wanting to hit those areas you mentioned. I also hear that Bird Island Basin in Padre Island National Sea Shore is very nice for "flat water sailing."

Vetgam, I probably should have read your comment before my trip. I did sail out of Port O'Connor on Saturday, winds were 18 and waves 3 plus. Sailed for five hours straight, covered 23 miles and top speed 9.2 MPH. The smile never left me and still lingers, the TI was amazing total fun. On the safety side PFT always on, float plan filed with two people who care, two GPS's, VHF radio and cell phone, plus a fair bit of sailing knowledge ( but zero fishing!). I had my fishing rods with me but didn't even bait them, just sailing was such a blast.

Port O'Connor is my stomping ground and I am moving back there like - right now actually!

Great choice of locations! Let me know if and when you'll be in town again. I have some friends from Odessa that own 4 ai's (I now have one for rent) and they are getting a house there.

Have you heard of the Texas 200? I think I MIGHT do at least part of hat regatta this year since its passing right by POC. What part of the bay did you sail? Did you find a decent launch?

Windshark, I launched at the boat ramp at the end of S 13th Street, don't know the name but it was $3 and parking was good. Sailed SE to the ship canal and then followed Matagorda Island to Decros Point and back. Haven't heard of the Texas 200 until your post, but looked it up - that's a serious trip in a kayak! As you say, might be fun to join them for a short leg but don't think my butt could hold up for the entire 200!

Well most of the tex 200 participants are in small sail boats like Flying Scott's, Hobie 16's 18's, and yeah some Adventure Islands.

There's a kind of 'island' forming out there just north of Decros, but if you can hug the tip of the J-hook and get into that cove / lagoon (there are serious sand bars on the right, but near J-hook there is a passage about 30 feet across that is quite deep) you'll find Sunday Beach - GREAT place to camp when its not crowded.